What's on your plate?

Keeping in line with all the fun and interactive threads asking about your most recent halls, items you have your eyes on, what you're currently wearing, what's your hair routine, and more, I've decide to branch out and ask:

"What's on your plate?"

The beauty world doesn't just stop at skin care and cosmetics, it also goes hand in hand with your overall health and well-being, so with that, I'm curious to see what we're all chowing down and snacking on be it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or inbetween!

For those with apps that help count calories or to those who just want to keep a log, here's a place to share, possibly find and share some recipes, and even tips on maintaining a balanced diet.

Don't just share food items, but even drinks! I'm a huge fan of tea and at least have a cup of green tea a day (anti-oxidants) and drink plenty of water.

Re: What's on your plate?

The very first time I ever ate avocado, I didn't know anything about it so tried one that was super hard and not ripe. I didn't like the taste at all (I mean, who likes it unripe?) so I mashed it up and applied it to my face as a mask.

Years later, I had it in an authentic Mexican restaurant as guacamole and absolutely loved it. I haven't used it as a mask since that first time. LOL

Re: What's on your plate?

It really is a challenge. But, I think I'm done. I think I'm gonna start applying them to my face!

You know, now that I'm thinking about it, I've tried a chocolate pudding ( healthier version ) made with avocados once... That was not as bad as it sounds. Not bad at all. It is just that I was constantly thinking that I'm eating avocados with honey and cocoa powder, so that made me really... hmmm... uneasy! But, it was, dare I say, quite good. Gotta try it again sometime, to see if it's a go.

Re: What's on your plate?

Except for Polenta Friday posts (one remaining to come), this may be my last post for at least a week, unless I post a lunch plate. I've made so much food we have a ton of leftovers, so we'll be eating leftovers for at least the next 10 days.

This is pasture-raised brined-overnight pork belly slices, with some roasted parsnips and carrots and a half banana and kiwi on the side. The pork belly is super yummy, but next time I'm going to crisp the skin at the end. I'll likely add a thin sauce drizzled on the bottom of the plate next time too.

For the brine, combine in a dutch oven: 12 cups water, 4 tablespoons vinegar, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds, 4 dried bay leaves, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Bring brine to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and let completely cool. Place 2-3 pound pork belly into the brine and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. Next day, preheat oven to 425 degrees and remove belly, dry off, place on cutting board, make small cuts here and there (be careful to not go too deep and cut through). Drizzle with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and rub with 1 teaspoon sea salt. Place belly on wire-racked roasting pan and cook first 35 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and cook for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 275 degrees and cook for 15 minutes. Total time in oven to this point should be 1 hour, 20 minutes. Then, if you want the skin crisper (which you will, trust me), increase heat to 375 degrees and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. When skin is nice and crispy, remove from oven. Let cool 5 minutes and then slice. [Recipe source: Paleo Takes 5 or Fewer]

For the brine, combine in a dutch oven: 12 cups water, 4 tablespoons vinegar, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds, 4 dried bay leaves, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Bring brine to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and let completely cool. Place 2-3 pound pork belly into the brine and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. Next day, preheat oven to 425 degrees and remove belly, dry off, place on cutting board, make small cuts here and there (be careful to not go too deep and cut through). Drizzle with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and rub with 1 teaspoon sea salt. Place belly on wire-racked roasting pan and cook first 35 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce heat to 375 degrees and cook for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 275 degrees and cook for 15 minutes. Total time in oven to this point should be 1 hour, 20 minutes. Then, if you want the skin crisper (which you will, trust me), increase heat to 375 degrees and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. When skin is nice and crispy, remove from oven. Let cool 5 minutes and then slice. [Recipe source: Paleo Takes 5 or Fewer]

Re: What's on your plate?

Well it is hard to stay away from this thread.... Yes, I'm a food hoarder. We don't eat out much so depend on my cooking to keep things interesting. I always make too much so we always have leftovers.

I do like making a pretty plate with leftovers, so maybe I'll post something....

About the pork belly: this was my first time brining. Most times I see brining recipes they require a lot of salt, but this one required only a half tablespoon so I thought I'd try it. Brining certainly makes the meat moister. But the pork belly has a nice fat cap on it (which is the side you face upward when roasting or baking), and crisping it makes it delectable. I should have done it this time but my husband wanted me to just serve it up and if we liked it, to make a note to crisp it next time. (Better if he hadn't been there at the time or I would have crisped it up.)

Re: What's on your plate?

I love making enough for leftovers! Whenever I make dinner I have enough for my bf and I to take for lunch the next day at work. Saves so much money to where I'm not having to go out and buy food each day. I make it a point to portion out meats and veggies whenever I grocery shop so that there's enough for a dinner/lunch portion.

That's awesome the brining recipe didn't require you to salt bomb the pork. I'd love the recipe if you have it!

My family gets roasted pig for the holidays and special occasions and the pork skin is always crisped up and so yummy! It's like a pork skin chip, a bit more hearty than pork rinds in a bag since those are more airy.

That's not my photo, but that's how the pork looks, you can see that there's a nice layer of crisp skin on top...mmmm mmmm!

Re: What's on your plate?

yes, that was the crispiness I was missing last night. But all is not lost -- I can crisp the skin when I heat the leftovers.

I always make lunches for my husband (we have microwaveable Tupperware for this, but he removes the food from it and reheats in a Pyrex casserole dish because the Tupperware has BPA). He is the envy of some of his workers, who come by to check out what he's eating for the day. LOL

I edited my original post to add the recipe. The hardest part is having to keep readjusting the oven temperature.

Re: What's on your plate?

If I was his coworker and saw all these yummy dishes that you've been sharing here I'd be envious too!

Yay for crisp when you reheated the leftovers!

I have some coworkers who are always amazed at what I bring in, I don't feel like I'm making anything extraordinary, but they don't do much cooking at all so even something simple seems to take on a much grander sense with them.

Re: What's on your plate?

Also, I have a recipe using frozen cauliflower and carrots... somewhere... If you'd like, I'll find it, and I'll post that one, too. But, I have to say, I've never tried it, so I have no idea what it's like.

1 cup sour cream ( or you can omit it completely if you don't like it )

Place cauliflower and carrots in a large pot of lightly salted water; bring to a boil until vegetables are soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and transfer vegetables to a food processor. Add remaining ingredients, and process it all until desired consistency. Season with more salt and pepper ( and everything else ) if needed. You can add any combination of herbs and spices you like. I added more stuff, but most of it I make and mix myself, so there's no use mentioning it. Just add what you like, modify it to your taste with herbs, spices and other "add on's".

The other recipe says that you can: "Saute onion, garlic, and herbs until onion is translucent. Season with salt and pepper and other spices to taste. Set aside." Add it later on to the food processor together with cooked cauliflower and carrots, and everything else. Process until smooth.

Mashed Cauliflower and Carrots 1 head of cauliflower, washed, and cut into florets2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped½ medium onion, coarsely chopped3 garlic cloves, mincedsalt to tastefreshly ground pepperfresh rosemary, minced ( I added dry )fresh thyme, minced ( dry, too )1/4 cup buttersplash of apple cider vinegar1 cup sour cream ( or you can omit it completely if you don't like it ) Place cauliflower and carrots in a large pot of lightly salted water; bring to a boil until vegetables are soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and transfer vegetables to a food processor. Add remaining ingredients, and process it all until desired consistency. Season with more salt and pepper ( and everything else ) if needed. You can add any combination of herbs and spices you like. I added more stuff, but most of it I make and mix myself, so there's no use mentioning it. Just add what you like, modify it to your taste with herbs, spices and other "add on's". The other recipe says that you can: "Saute onion, garlic, and herbs until onion is translucent. Season with salt and pepper and other spices to taste. Set aside." Add it later on to the food processor together with cooked cauliflower and carrots, and everything else. Process until smooth.